Method of making plastic rugs of plastic thread loops bonded to a plastic base



M y 7, 1968 G. s. NALLE, JR 3,382,122

METHOD OF MAKING PLASTIC HUGS PL TIC THREAD LOOPS BONDED TO A PLA 0 E Filed Feb. 25, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l I I I J. 1 W x m1 HI'I'I' Ii w I II II] lhhn IINIHIHIIHI I, /"l" $5UHHHH H 'H I !I'HWMu FIG! INVENTOR George S. Nelle, Jr.

Wand saw ATTORNEYS Plastic Reservoir y 1968 e. s. NALLE, JR 3,382,122

METHOD OF MAKING PLASTIC RUGS OF PLASTIC THREAD LOOPS BONDED TO A PLASTIC BASE Filed Feb. 25, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR George S. NoIIe,Jr.

ATTORNEYS y 7, 1968 G. s. NALLE. JR m mzz TIC HUGS OF PLASTIC THREAD METHOD OF MAKING PLAS LOOPS BONDED TO A PLASTIC BASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 25, 1964 5H H H INVENTOR George S. Nolle,Jr.

ATTORNEYS y 7, 1968 s. s. NALLE, JR 3,382,122

5 OF PLASTIC THREAD METHOD OF MAKING PLASTIC RUG LOOPS BONDED TO A PLASTIC BASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 25, 1964 INVENTOR George S- Nulle ir.

ATTORNEYS 3,382,122 METHOD OF MAKING PLASTIC RUGS F PLAS- TICS THREAD LOGPS BONDED TO A PLATIC BA E George S. Nalle, In, 108 W. 2nd St., Austin, Tex. 78701 Filed Feb. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 347,316 13 (Zlaims. (El. 156-167) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for extruding plastic rugs, and in particular to a method and apparatus for extruding a mesh pile fabric from plastic materials such as resinous plastics, plastic metals and cermets. By the method and apparatus disclosed herein, it is possible to produce a plastic loop of netting anchored to a base such as a plastic film, plastic sheet, paper, fabric, foamed elastomer or plastic netting. In particular, a sheet of plastic material of either uniform or varying thickness is extruded while a reciprocating or rotating orifice of hot plastic is moved in such a manner as to produce a loop or thread which is bonded to the plastic sheet. By varying the rate at which the thread or filaments of the loop are extruded, it is possible to produce loops of the desired density. The invention also enables the loops or threads to be extruded from a different material than that from which the sheet base is made. In this manner, the loops or threads can be made of a material having good abrasive characteristics while the sheet base material can be made of another plastic having different characteristics such as flexibility, good welding characteristics or low price. It is also possible to vary the colors of the threads, thus providing the desired ornamental effect.

The simplicity of method and mechanical construction of the invention, as well as the unique characteristics of producing loops which are bonded to a sheet material or base, is believed to be an important improvement over the apparatus of my U.S. Patent No. 3,012,275 dated Dec. 12, 1961.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for forming rugs consisting of loops of plastic netting which are anchored to a base material.

Another object of invention is to provide a method and suggested apparatus for forming extruded plastic rugs consisting of loops of plastic thread which are bonded to a plastic base material and in which the density of the loops and the thickness of the base material may be varied.

Still a further object of invention is to provide a method and suggested apparatus for producing plastic rugs consisting of loops of plastic thread which are anchored to a plastic base material, and in which the loops of plastic thread may vary in color.

Other and additional objects of invention will become apparent from the ensuing specification and attached drawings which illustrate the suggested device for performing the present method, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a suggested die head assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the reciprocating piston of the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a part of a vertical sectional view showing a modified construction designed to extrude the loops of the rug from a different material than that from which the base of the rug is made;

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional View showing a modified die construction designed to extrude loops of varying size;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another modified die structure designed to extrude loops of different colors;

A United States Patent 0 FIGURE 7 illustrates schematically in perspective a further modification involving the extrusion of filaments with the use of rotating die plugs;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 7 showing a modified rotating die using a plurality of extrusion orifices; and

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view showing a still further modification involving the use of an oscillating extrusion piston or rod.

Referring particularly to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, the suggested apparatus for extruding the rugs consists of a die head 18 containing a supply conduit 12 for liquid plastic which terminates in discharge conduit 14 having an elongated extrusion orifice 18 regulated by variable choke 22. The supply system for the plastic materials is not shown, but, the means for delivering such material to dies is old in the art and hence does not require illustration.

Below die head 10 is located pile extruding piston 38 supported for longitudinal movement by die bearings 42 and caused to reciprocate by mounting rod 36 which is eccentrically attached to cam 34. Movement is imparted to cam 34 by drive belt 32 which is driven by motor 28 through pulley 38. The liquid plastic is supplied to supply chamber of extruding piston 38 from supply conduit 12 via conduit 24 and valve 26. As seen in FIGURE 3, the top of piston 38 is provided with opening 39 providing communication to chamber 40. As also seen in FIGURE 3, the pile extruding piston 38 terminates in a plurality of ports 5% having individual extrusion orifices 52. Communication to the individual ports and extrusion orifices 52 from opening 39 is afforded by means of main conduit 40.

In operation, the rotation of cam 34 imparts a reciproeating movement to pile extruding piston 38 which results in the loops of thread or filaments 64 being bonded to the sheet of base material 20 so as to produce a mesh pile fabric. As indicated before, a high density of loops 64- can be obtained merely by extruding the loops or filaments 64 at a rapid rate and/ or extruding the base material at a slower rate. Finally, the finished rug is conveyed by rollers 46 and 48 through bath 47.

A second embodiment of applicants invention is illustrated in FIGURE 4 wherein liquid plastic is supplied to extruding piston 38 from a different source of plastic from that being supplied to conduit 12. In this embodiment plastic is supplied to chamber 40 of piston 38 through conduit 24' and valve 26 which are located within that portion of die head 10 lying below piston 38. For this embodiment, opening 39 is located on the bottom of piston 38. Thus, a plastic having different characteristics from that used to form the base 20 of the rug is transmitted to extruding piston 38. As pointed out before, While the loops or threads 64 of the rug are usually made of a material having good abrasive characteristics, it is frequently desirable to make the base 20 of the rug of a material having different characteristics such as flexibility, good welding characteristics, or low cost.

A third embodiment of applicants invention is illustrated in FIGURE 6 wherein extruding piston 38 is in the form of a plurality of smaller pistons 38, 38", each of which extrudes threads of different color so as to provide ornamental effect .if desired. The system for supplying plastic to each of the individual pistons is not shown, but, the means for delivering such material is substantially the same as that disclosed with regard to the second embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIGURE 4.

A fourth embodiment of applicants invention is illustrated in FIGURE 5 wherein the sizes of ports 50 and extrusion orifices 52 vary so as to produce a rib-like effect. As seen in FIGURE 5, ports 50 and extrusion orifices 52 are larger than ports 50 and orifices 52 respectively, thus producing loops 64 on base 20- which are larger than loops 64.

A fifth embodiment of applicants invention is illustrated in FIGURE 7 wherein the filaments are in the shape of coils and applied to the base material 20 with the use of rotating plugs 72. Shown schematically, this embodiment consists of a die head 70 containing rotating extrusion plugs 72 having individual orifices 74. As the sheet of base material 20 emerges from the die head 70, the coiled filaments 65 are bonded to the base material 20.

A sixth embodiment of applicants invention is illustrated in FIGURE 8 wherein each of the rotating plugs 72 has a plurality of orifices 74". As the base material 20 emerges from die head 70, a plurality of coiled filaments 65', 65 are welded upon the surface of base material 20 of the rug. Rotating plugs 74 may also be located under base material 20. It is also understood that both base material 20 and filaments 65 may be extruded vertically downward or at some angle with respect to the pull of gravity.

A seventh embodiment of applicants invention is illustrated in FIGURE 9, wherein liquid plastic is supplied to an oscillating rod 78 from supply conduit 12 located within die head 10. In this embodiment, the reciprocating piston 38 of the preferred embodiment of FIGURE 1 is replaced with oscillating arm 78 to which is attached conduit member 80 used to transfer liquid plastic to outlet 83. As rod 78 is oscillated through about 30, outlet 83 contacts the base material 20 being extruded through orifice 18 thus causing a multiplicity of threads 67 to be bonded thereto. Simultaneously, upon oscillation of rod 78, port 82 of oscillating rod 78 rotates out of alignment with the passageway of liquid plastic and thus acts as a cut-oil? valve causing the fiow of plastic to cease. To insure that the filaments or threads break, a gas flame 84 is located in close proximity to the bonds between base material 20 and filaments 67. Heating rods 76 are located within the die head as illustrated in FIGURE 9. Choke 22 is used to vary the thickness of the base material being extruded through orifice 18 in the same manner as disclosed by applicants preferred embodiment shown in FIGURE 1.

Manifestly, various modifications in the methods and suggested devices for performing said methods may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of invention as defined in the sub-joined claims.

I claim:

1. A method for extrusion of a plastic rug having a base portion and a superposed pile portion which comprises:

(A) extruding a sheet of plastic material constituting the base portion of the rug;

(B) simultaneously extruding a group of plastic filaments constituting the pile of said rug; and

(C) moving said extruding filaments relative to the plane of said sheet to bring said filaments into contact with said sheet and intermittently bond said filaments to said sheet.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said filaments are continuously extruded and reciprocated into contact with said sheet to produce a loop pile on said sheet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said filaments are intermittently extruded onto said sheet to bond one end of said filaments to said sheet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said filaments are continuously and rotatably extruded into contact with said sheet to produce a coil pile on said sheet.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said filaments have varying diameters.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said filaments have varying cross section.

7. A method for extrusion of a plastic rug having a base portion and a superposed pile portion comprising:

(A) extruding a sheet of plastic material constituting the base portion of the rug;

(B) simultaneously extruding a group of plastic filaments constituting the pile of the rug to impinge upon said sheet at a point proximate the point of extrusion of said sheet; and

(C) moving said extruding filaments relative to the plane of said sheet to cause intermittent contact between said filaments and said sheet and to bond said filaments to said sheet.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said filaments are extruded in a plane intersecting the plane of said sheet and are reciprocated into and out of the plane formed by said sheet so that said filaments form a continuous intermittently bonded longitudinal wavelike pile.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said filaments are intermittently extruded and reciprocated into and out of the plane formed by said sheet so that said filaments are joined to said sheet at one end thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 including the additional,

step of breaking said filaments bonded to said sheet at a point spaced from the plane of said sheet as said filaments are moved away from said sheet.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said filaments are continuously rotatably extruded into bonding contact with said sheet as a first set of coils having center lines parallel to said sheet.

12. The method of claim 11 including simultaneously rotatably extruding a second set of plastic coils, coaxial with the coils of said first set, into bonding contact with said sheet.

13. The method of claim 7 including the additional step of varying the rate of movement of said filaments to vary the density of the pile formed on said sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,230,134 1/1966 Stnder 16162 3,179,550 4/1965 Friedman 156244 X 3,275,487 9/1966 Lemelson 156244 X 3,178,328 4/1965 Tittmann 156-167 3,019,483 2/1962 Schultheiss 264167 3,067,084 12/1962 Nalle 156--167 FOREIGN PATENTS 641,549 8/1950 Great Britain.

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

P. DIER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD FOR EXTRUSION OF A PLASTIC RUG HAVING A BASE PORTION AND A SUPERPOSED PILE PORTION WHICH COMPRISES: (A) EXTRUDING A SHEET OF PLASTIC MATERIAL CONSTITUTING THE BASE PORTION OF THE RUG; (B) SIMULTANEOUSLY EXTRUDING A GROUP OF PLASTIC FILAMENTS CONSTITUTING THE PILE OF SAID RUG; AND (C) MOVING SAID EXTRUDING FILAMENTS RELATIVE TO THE PLANE OF SAID SHEET TO BRING SAID FILAMENTS INTO CONTACT WITH SAID SHEET AND INTERMITTENLY BOND SAID FILAMENTS TO SAID SHEETS. 